Q: “Tailgating is rude and also can be dangerous,” said Murrieta resident Grace Parker. “But is it actually a violation — something you can get a ticket for?”

A: Tailgating is illegal. It’s called “following too closely” in section 21703 of the CVC, which states: “The driver of a motor vehicle shall not follow another vehicle more closely than is reasonable and prudent, having due regard for the speed of such vehicle, and the traffic upon, and condition of, the roadway.”

What’s “reasonable and prudent” would vary with conditions at a given time, and be subject to the judgment and discretion of a peace officer issuing such a citation. According to the Web site BestAttorney.com: “A driver cited for tailgating will — if convicted — have negligent-operator points applied to his/her driving record and pay a fine — likely $400 or more when court costs and fees are applied.”

The standard for determining tailgating is subjective, the site stated, noting: “There’s no set distance to explain reasonable and prudent, it depends on road conditions and officer observation. In traffic court, the issue can evolve into the issuing officer’s opinion vs. the ticketed motorist’s opinion. Typically, the judge will side with the officer. Cops are extremely busy, and few judges will believe that the officer pulled over a driver and issued a ticket without a good reason.

“Regardless of the speed you’re driving, the two-second rule is a good rule for judging safe distance behind another vehicle, the site said: “If there’s a two to three second gap between your car and the one in front of you, you should be far enough away — provided the roadway is dry and visible is normal.” The National Safety Council recommends a three-second rule — plus an additional one second per factor of driving difficulty (poor visibility, inclement weather, etc.).

Q: There’s too many cars out there with no front license plate,” said Riverside resident Robert George. “Most people believe two plates are required on a car. But is it actually a law?”

A: According to the CVC’s section 5200, when two license plates are issued a vehicle, they’re to be attached to the vehicle for which they were issued, with one in the front and the other in the rear.

“Dealers are required to provide frames for both plates and advise consumers of the requirement for both plates to be attached,” said Riverside Traffic Bureau commander Sgt. Skip Showalter. “Commercial trucks only require they be placed on the front of the vehicle as the trailer, which also requires a plate, would likely block a plate attached to the rear of the truck.

“Citations are issued for this violation often. Usually, it’s in conjunction with a moving violation as officers rarely stop a vehicle just to cite for the missing front license plate. It also should be noted that our city’s parking enforcement folks cite for this on a daily basis.”

Q:Which hybrid and electric vehicles qualify for the Department of Motor Vehicles’ green and white clean air vehicle decals which allow solo drivers in those vehicles to use carpool lanes?

A. For a current list of vehicles that qualify for a green (partial zero emissions) or white (100 percent zero emissions) decal in California, check the California Air Resources Web site www.arb.ca.gov/msprog/carpool/carpool.htm. The decals expire Jan. 1, 2019, with no limit on white decals issued, but green decals limited to the first 40,000 vehicles purchased or leased. The green decal count was approaching 24,500 last month.

Confused about state or local traffic laws? Send questions and concerns, with your name, e-mail address, phone number and city of residence, to ontheroad@pe.com. Or phone 951-368-9670.